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TDM #4
Welcome! Everything is fine.
Uploading. . . Complete!
The Lobby.
- When you open your eyes, there is quite a lot of beige to take in. The unassuming walls of the room you've found yourself in are barren save for a single motivational poster directly in your line of sight. An illuminated sign above an open door on the far wall reads 'lobby exit.'
"Welcome," chimes a polite, synthesized voice. "I'm happy you're here." A moment later comes the clarity of the situation: you have died and so has the world you came from. "This is Amani, your new reality," continues The Peacekeeper. "Everything will be fine."
At least you aren't the only one here, you'll soon find out, as others who are just as confused and concerned as you are mingling on the main hub's first floor. Hopefully, you find a familiar face among the crowd. If not, that's all right. You'll get to know quite a few people very well soon enough.
- If you're one of the unlucky few whose death required a bit more intensive re-coding to maintain stability in the simulation, you'll instead awaken on a bed in the infirmary. Everything is strikingly white save for the occasional string of vines with lavender growing in bursts to help keep people calm. Whether or not it works seems to be on a case-by-case basis.
While there is no active medical staff, the voice of The Peacekeeper is there to explain the situation in a more delicate manner to these individuals. It's already stressful enough having to have gone through such a violent death, after all!
If characters want more questions answered, they'll need to speak to The Peacekeeper directly. But first, it will encourage socialization in the main hub and hopefully, you'll find someone you recognize to make taking things in a little easier.
WHAT
The fourth Amani TDM!
WHEN
April 21st, 2022
KINKS OF THE MONTH
★ Tickling
★ Facials
★ School Uniforms
★ Sharing
★ Hurt/Comfort
★ Facials
★ School Uniforms
★ Sharing
★ Hurt/Comfort
WELCOME
Throughout the main hub where everyone congregates, a light chiming echoes through the first floor. "Hello, everyone," comes the synthetic voice from when you first arrived. "Please, watch your step since there's quite a few puddles around. If you'd like, there is cake, some refreshments, and some eggs for you in these trying times. If they feel warmer than usual, that's because they're going to hatch soon!"
While the Peacekeeper doesn't elaborate, as usual, simulation inhabitants are free to notice the eggs that either they gathered or are still littering the simulation are now warm to the touch, give off a faint glow, and may even move subtly now and again if watched.
Dark, ominous clouds begin to gather over every piece of sky in the simulation and before long blot out the sun. Sheets of rain begin to pour down almost without warning. Hopefully, you've managed to fix those leaks in your house! Or maybe you're finding new ones...
Lightning splits the sky with a dramatic crackle and thunder booms not long after it. The wind howls and the worst of the storm won't relent for a few hours at the least. Even after, the rain will linger for days on and off to varying degrees of severity.
While the weather has taken a turn for the gloomy, that doesn't mean that simulation inhabitants have to be! In fact, it may feel somewhat refreshing as if the rain is washing away any negativity lingering after The Overseer's masquerade. Whether by her design or not, she - nor The Peacekeeper - will say but it does seem that she wants to keep relations as peaceful between the simulation inhabitants and creators as she can.
Of course, your buckets might not just be catching water. With the rising water levels, the fish that inhabit the simulation's waters are just as confused as anyone else. Even more confusing is the glitch causing them to transform once they find themselves on solid (mostly) ground.
Thankfully, they don't change into anything harmful. Well, maybe to your teeth since an abundance of sweet treats is bound to cause a cavity or two... Not to mention the other odd effects that food here is known to have.
If the party and its cake don't appeal to you, that's perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to configure your Digitized Technical Friend or your DTF status. A DTF is similar to a dæmon from His Dark Materials in that it is connected to and a reflection of a character's soul. These DTFs take shape accordingly and are projections similar to the NPCs. Think of them as your own personal Clippy except less annoying. Hopefully.
Once that's set-up, there are other locations of the main hub to investigate! You can still find an (off-key) instrument to play in the music lounge or check out the (algae-ridden) pool.
You can even visit The Peacekeeper themselves on the second floor. They're always happy to have visitors! They're also conveniently where you might place a complaint about that status of the main hub and its amenities.
While the Peacekeeper doesn't elaborate, as usual, simulation inhabitants are free to notice the eggs that either they gathered or are still littering the simulation are now warm to the touch, give off a faint glow, and may even move subtly now and again if watched.
APRIL SHOWERS
Granted, there are bigger things to worry about such as the storm that's rolling in.Dark, ominous clouds begin to gather over every piece of sky in the simulation and before long blot out the sun. Sheets of rain begin to pour down almost without warning. Hopefully, you've managed to fix those leaks in your house! Or maybe you're finding new ones...
Lightning splits the sky with a dramatic crackle and thunder booms not long after it. The wind howls and the worst of the storm won't relent for a few hours at the least. Even after, the rain will linger for days on and off to varying degrees of severity.
While the weather has taken a turn for the gloomy, that doesn't mean that simulation inhabitants have to be! In fact, it may feel somewhat refreshing as if the rain is washing away any negativity lingering after The Overseer's masquerade. Whether by her design or not, she - nor The Peacekeeper - will say but it does seem that she wants to keep relations as peaceful between the simulation inhabitants and creators as she can.
ONE FISH, TWO FISH...
The constant rain brings water levels of the rivers and eddies up at an alarming rate. Flooding is inevitable and, hopefully, the place you've claimed as your own isn't in the way. If it is, you might want to get the buckets ready or consider a relocation!Of course, your buckets might not just be catching water. With the rising water levels, the fish that inhabit the simulation's waters are just as confused as anyone else. Even more confusing is the glitch causing them to transform once they find themselves on solid (mostly) ground.
Thankfully, they don't change into anything harmful. Well, maybe to your teeth since an abundance of sweet treats is bound to cause a cavity or two... Not to mention the other odd effects that food here is known to have.
- ★ Taiyaki » Despite having just jumped out of the chilly waters, these tasty treats will be warm to the touch and generate steam. After biting into one, you'll radiate warmth no matter what for a brief period of time. Being a walking furnace sure is nice with this damp, cold atmosphere... Maybe you'll find a friend or two to huddle up with and keep warm.
★ Swedish Fish » Eating one of these stretchy, gummy candies will increase your flexibility. Literally and metaphorically! It might be easier to be convinced to do something you wouldn't have before and now you can bend just the right way to make it extra fun.
★ Hard Fish Candy » These tart candies will render someone unable to speak until it completely dissolves. This can take a while, too, since they seem to be persistantly stuck to the roof of your mouth! Yet, don't underestimate the power of body language to speak your mind.
★ Chocolate Sardines » Eating one of these rich bite-sized treats will make you sweeter. No, really! Candy kisses isn't just an expression after eating these fish. You taste delicious. Maybe too delicious... Be careful! Once someone gets a taste of you, they might not want to stop anytime soon.
WHAT'S YOUR DTF STATUS?
If the party and its cake don't appeal to you, that's perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to configure your Digitized Technical Friend or your DTF status. A DTF is similar to a dæmon from His Dark Materials in that it is connected to and a reflection of a character's soul. These DTFs take shape accordingly and are projections similar to the NPCs. Think of them as your own personal Clippy except less annoying. Hopefully.
Once that's set-up, there are other locations of the main hub to investigate! You can still find an (off-key) instrument to play in the music lounge or check out the (algae-ridden) pool.
You can even visit The Peacekeeper themselves on the second floor. They're always happy to have visitors! They're also conveniently where you might place a complaint about that status of the main hub and its amenities.
RAINING CATS AND DOGS
While the fishy foods are odd enough as is, another glitch appears to be occurring throughout the simulation but this time originates not from the rain but The Peacekeeper's humble musings. "Did you know," speaks the resident AI, "that there is an expression called 'raining cats and dogs'? I think that's such a curious saying! It made me wonder what it might actually look like..."
Following the strange, unexpected 'announcement,' inhabitants may begin to notice large globs of water falling periodically from the sky now amidst the regular rain. When they hit the ground with a large splash, nothing is there... at first. The water will burst apart only to reassemble into a canine or feline friend. Well, it's shaped like a dog or a cat.
Due to the sudden nature of their spawning though, some things aren't quite right. Perhaps that cat has only three legs instead of four; a dog may be missing an eye, an ear, or even its tail. And those are the more tame oddities! While the unique animals aren't overly abundant there are still a good number that spawn across the days of rain. Don't be surprised if a dog takes up shelter from the storm on your porch or you come home to a cat you don't own having climbed through a loose window.
While this might be exactly the addition to your home that you wanted, it doesn't change the leaky roof or broken window in your new place. Or, unfortunately, the fact that there's no extra space for a pet yet. No, unfortunately that will still need to be fixed the peaceful way. If you'd like more lighting or even cozier clothes, simulation inhabitants are reminded that 'peaceful interactions' are very important!
It might be a good idea to stick close to someone you know, for now, since even the smallest amounts of intimacy might see subtle changes occurring where they're staying. Perhaps that broken window is now fixed, the grime and dust seem a little less, or the floor doesn't creak quite as loud.
Larger changes, however, will only come after demonstrating the more powerful peaceful interactions. If you want new hardwood floors or a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you're going to have to demonstrate how well you 'get along' with others against them first.
Following the strange, unexpected 'announcement,' inhabitants may begin to notice large globs of water falling periodically from the sky now amidst the regular rain. When they hit the ground with a large splash, nothing is there... at first. The water will burst apart only to reassemble into a canine or feline friend. Well, it's shaped like a dog or a cat.
Due to the sudden nature of their spawning though, some things aren't quite right. Perhaps that cat has only three legs instead of four; a dog may be missing an eye, an ear, or even its tail. And those are the more tame oddities! While the unique animals aren't overly abundant there are still a good number that spawn across the days of rain. Don't be surprised if a dog takes up shelter from the storm on your porch or you come home to a cat you don't own having climbed through a loose window.
While this might be exactly the addition to your home that you wanted, it doesn't change the leaky roof or broken window in your new place. Or, unfortunately, the fact that there's no extra space for a pet yet. No, unfortunately that will still need to be fixed the peaceful way. If you'd like more lighting or even cozier clothes, simulation inhabitants are reminded that 'peaceful interactions' are very important!
It might be a good idea to stick close to someone you know, for now, since even the smallest amounts of intimacy might see subtle changes occurring where they're staying. Perhaps that broken window is now fixed, the grime and dust seem a little less, or the floor doesn't creak quite as loud.
Larger changes, however, will only come after demonstrating the more powerful peaceful interactions. If you want new hardwood floors or a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you're going to have to demonstrate how well you 'get along' with others against them first.
SEEING PINK
ear the end of the week, the rain finally relents and temperatures continue to gradually increase. Those May flowers can't quite seem to wait though since several of the trees lining the edge of the forest bloom brilliant pink blossoms that a DTF will be able to identify as love blossoms. While the blooms won't last very long, they certainly are using all the time they have to take over.
The pollen is one thing. It may start out as just a tickle in your nose or stuffy head but eventually turns into something much more lovely. You're tickled pink about almost everything, it seems, and want to share that happiness with others. And who needs rose-colored glasses when almost everywhere one looks there's a string of love blossoms blooming?
These invasive flowers are in your garden, along the vines in the city, and even sprawling through the main hub! It actually seems almost impossible to avoid them. The Peacekeeper assures inhabitants that it isn't purposeful and just the natural cycle of the love blossoms.
Enjoy the mood-lifting and groin-tingling effects while they last! The love blossoms will only linger for a few days, at most, before receding back to the forest line and eventually falling dormant again until next spring.
The pollen is one thing. It may start out as just a tickle in your nose or stuffy head but eventually turns into something much more lovely. You're tickled pink about almost everything, it seems, and want to share that happiness with others. And who needs rose-colored glasses when almost everywhere one looks there's a string of love blossoms blooming?
These invasive flowers are in your garden, along the vines in the city, and even sprawling through the main hub! It actually seems almost impossible to avoid them. The Peacekeeper assures inhabitants that it isn't purposeful and just the natural cycle of the love blossoms.
Enjoy the mood-lifting and groin-tingling effects while they last! The love blossoms will only linger for a few days, at most, before receding back to the forest line and eventually falling dormant again until next spring.
SEXY STAMP CARD
If you're wondering about these 'peaceful interactions' that keep being mentioned or what the kinks of the month are for... Here's your answer! Upon arrival, all characters will receive a digital copy of their very own sexy stamp card.
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!NOTES
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!
★ The kinks of the month have changed! Be sure to check this post for what the new ones are. Also, give a congratulations to Corrin (
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fatefulprince) as the as the new leader of the sexy leaderboard! 🎉★ The effects of the strange fish candies can, as always, be as heavy or light as you'd like! It can be chalked up to differences in resistance, non-humanity or not, etc. etc. Also, they can mixed-and-matched! Have fun with that.
★ The flora and fauna page will be updated. It's also still open for player suggestions! All you need to do now is link your check-in (or player claim) comment to make a submission!
★ Make sure to dunk your questions/feedback in the thread below!
NAVIGATION
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Don’t threaten me with a good timeWhat Zechs actually said, clearly not put off by the warning in the slightest, was, “Then my goal will be to hold my own against you for longer than any human you’ve faced yet. And - perhaps I may yet surprise you.”
What was the point of always entering into a challenge that one knew they could beat? How was he supposed to improve his skills, if there wasn’t room for defeat and learning from it? Besides. It seemed ordinary humans such as him were a minority in this place - he must learn to hold his own in order to defend those he cared for.
Zechs had the novel experience of coming up on his toes a little to meet that kiss. Thinking of being respectful of this stranger’s boundaries - he should get his name at some point - he kept the slow pace initially.
But given an inch - he’d take a mile. If Sephiroth cooperated, soon the kiss would not only be heated - but hungry and intense. Zechs didn’t think there was a point in being coy at this point.
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Before he completely loses himself in kissing this stranger, though...Sephiroth breaks the kiss momentarily. It's clearly not out of any real desire to stop, or any thought of changing his mind; he barely pulls back at all, still very much in Zechs' space.
"...your name?"
It would appear that he and Zechs are, perhaps unsurprisingly, still thinking along the same lines. At least it's a good opportunity for...at least the most basic of exchanges of information before they're far too preoccupied to bother. But Sephiroth, at least, wants a name to go with the man he's about to get decidedly intimate with.
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But Sephiroth drew back and Zechs made no move to prevent him. As he answered, his voice was lower, rougher, than it'd been previously.
"Zechs Merquise," Zechs told him, raising his eyebrows. "Yours?"
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"Sephiroth," he murmurs. "That's all."
He adds the clarifying statement because he's aware people are, generally, expected to have a surname, and he'd rather communicate that he doesn't have one rather than invite misunderstandings that he's holding one back. But he's never really been addressed with one...and the only surname he has any claim to is one he'd gladly set himself on fire rather than use. But then, he can't even remember Hojo's ever trying to append it to him in the first place - perhaps the idea of having that sort of familial connection to each other hadn't appealed to either of them. That doesn't bother Sephiroth in the least.
Fortunately, there's too much burning in his veins to let even the worst sorts of thoughts dampen his interest. If anything, it makes him more invested in redirecting his attentions in order to leave that train of thought abandoned on the tracks. So, without much warning - or apparent effort - Zechs will find himself suddenly crowded back against the bar, as Sephiroth presses in for a significantly more demanding kiss. If the fact that they're fully in public is any sort of concern for him, he's certainly not showing it.
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Cloud's 'Sephiroth'. This was that superior turned enemy, hm? Small simulation. Zechs held in a laugh, smirking. Because - he murmured, "I don't see the resemblance."
But before Sephiroth could ask Zechs to explain himself, Zechs pulled him in for that demanding kiss. That effortless shove against the bar had him make an approving sound against his mouth, swallowed up in their hunger. One hand had a stronger hold, not quite pulling, in his long hair - the other, grasped his back, drawing him in as close as physically possible.
Neither of them seemed to care that they were in public in the moment - but at least Sephiroth had the cake to excuse it.
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Other things are more pressing right now.
Like Zechs, he's taking notes about the reactions he gets; entirely aside from spending much of his life learning things by observation, he's still new to sex and has next to no experience outside of Genesis himself - someone Sephiroth has spent years getting to know. And while his own desire is certainly demanding his full attention, he's not selfish enough to ignore what his partner might want, either. Even if said partner hadn't already made a relatively favorable impression with him, as Zechs has done.
Conveniently, however...he and Zechs still seem to be on the same page. The man obviously approves of what he's doing, which means Sephiroth hasn't the least inclination to stop.
Sephiroth's hand on Zechs' hip moves around to his back, below where he's pressed to the bar, not quite gripping his ass but very close to it. His other hand finds its way to Zechs' jaw, cupping and guiding his head to a more preferred angle as they kiss, warm leather against skin.
Even with only Genesis as a teacher thus far, Sephiroth's gotten quite good at kissing in a very short timeframe. He's never been a slow learner.
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And despite the fact Zechs wasn't particularly vocal, or loud - at least now - Sephiroth was getting plenty of feedback. Zechs definitely approved of being manhandled against the bar, for one. He also shivered just slightly from the touch of that leather glove, enjoying that sensation. In fact, when they parted for air - Zechs would tip his head back in a wordless invitation. His neck already bore faint marks, mostly healed but visible so close, from someone else's attentions.
Despite all their layers, with Zechs pressed into the bar like this, his body's physical reaction would be clear. Zechs tugged lightly, teasing, against Sephiroth's hair. "Here? Or somewhere less public?"
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"Hm." Sephiroth makes a faintly thoughtful sound as he observes those marks on Zechs' neck; they shouldn't be much of a surprise, he supposes, in a place like this, and on a man who'd be willing to have sex with a relative stranger. The intense possessiveness he often feels with Genesis doesn't spark, however; it's more curiosity, wondering who might Zechs have been with who put those marks there, and a desire to leave a few of his own. His hand moves down from Zechs' jaw to his neck, running gloved fingers along the marks on his skin - partly as a result of his own interest, but just as much because he noted that shiver and he suspects the sensation will be welcome. At least for the moment, that exploration seems to take precedence over adding to those bruises - though it won't last long.
At the question, however, his eyes flick up to Zechs' again; his slit pupils are more dilated than before, making his eyes paradoxically appear a little more normal. "Does it matter?"
Given their shared military background, Zechs can probably infer that fucking someone in public is probably not one of Sephiroth's natural inclinations. But whether he's interested in following up on Sephiroth's current lack of concern about that or chooses to guide them to a different venue appears to be a decision he's being permitted to make for both of them.
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Sephiroth's eyes still put to Zechs' mind that of a predatory cat, which wasn't unappealing to him in the slightest. He weighed the question for a moment. Zechs had certainly been fucked in the open before. Usually, not by a stranger. Usually.
But this veteran was under the influence. He seemed clear-headed enough to consent to this, certainly - but Zechs was aware of how Sephiroth described it. Taking actions he might not consider otherwise.
"Not to me," Zechs claimed, but gently would attempt to push Sephiroth back at last, a slight press of hands against his shoulders. "But let's change the venue all the same."
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But then Zechs pushes him, calmly but firmly, and for a moment as Sephiroth hesitates - possibly fighting an internal battle with how affected he is - it's like shoving a wall. But then he settles himself, stepping back readily enough. "Where?" he asks. The question isn't quite urgent, but his intensity hasn't faded in the least. It's obvious that wherever Zechs intends to take them, Sephiroth would like to get there as quickly as possible.
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A shot in the dark, but he didn’t think he read Sephiroth wrong, there. Gone was the blush as Zechs retained control of the situation once more. Zechs moved away from the bar and walked toward the exit, turning his head to make certain the other veteran was following him.
no subject
He's aware that, at the moment, Zechs is leading him around by the nose a bit. Partly this is an effect of the food and drink he's consumed, he knows; he's easily toyed with in this state. But he's also not fighting it overmuch. For all that Sephiroth can assume command of himself, others, and situations easily, it's often more habit or instinct than desire. He doesn't mind being led, being bidden, or even being commanded. He can accept any role easily enough, and doesn't feel as though he needs to assert himself or prove anything. So if Zechs wants to be in control of things for the moment, Sephiroth has no objection.
For now. He hasn't forgotten that Zechs had enjoyed being pushed around by him, or the way he'd blushed. As soon as they find a suitable place...Sephiroth intends to follow up on those intriguing lines of possibility. And so when he follows Zechs, there's a hint of a shark following a pilot fish.
The intent, almost predatory stalk as he paces after the other man, eyes fixed on his back, gets a visual aid as they leave the bar; a large black panther that had been reclining in the shadows yawns, rises, and silently pads after them. It certainly seems to fit Sephiroth down to the ground.
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He didn’t intend to toy with him. As best he could, he would meet him on equal footing, with respect. And get them both what they desired in this encounter, if possible.
Zechs found one good candidate of a building, and peered inside first to confirm it was unclaimed and unoccupied. Behind them, behind the panther, Zechs’ small DTF was scurrying around on its little robotic legs. Such was their life, constantly trying to keep up with the headstrong soldier.
Satisfied, he opened the door and stepped inside. Once Sephiroth joined him, he’d raise his brows.
“You may resume however you’d like,” Zechs quipped, as if to say - come at me.
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Sephiroth, meanwhile, swings the door shut as soon as they enter. The light is dim, but that makes no difference whatsoever to him; those cat eyes of his aren't purely aesthetic, and he can see Zechs perfectly well.
"I may, hm?" he asks, voice low and amused. He seems to be hearing the meaning behind the words, or if not that, the intent of their camouflage. But either way...he's not about to waste any further time.
A hand lifts to press against Zechs' chest, and - applying steady pressure rather than a hard shove - pushes him back against the nearest wall. And then Sephiroth is crowding him against it, pressing his body flush to Zechs'. The hand on Zechs' chest drops to his waist, while the other tips the man's chin back so that - as promised - Sephiroth can nip sharply at the column of his throat.
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He didn’t move to stop him. Zechs resisted - if that’s even the right word - just barely enough to feel the strength of that hand pushing him, but not anywhere enough to be truly attempting to stop him. Feeling that strength renewed his earlier arousal.
Pressed against the wall, glove against his jaw and teeth against his vulnerable neck - Zechs finally groaned. His hands moved in an attempt to make sense of his coat and how it opened. Getting them both naked sooner was preferable.
“Yes -“
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His coat, Zechs will find to his surprise, is...actually only held closed by a single buckle in the front. Once Zechs undoes it, the coat - pauldrons and all - can simply be pushed off of Sephiroth's shoulders(with his cooperation), leaving him stripped to the waist. He's wearing a belt harness, for some reason, but that should be equally straightforward to remove if Zechs cares to.
His mouth on Zechs' throat, meanwhile, keeps moving. Mostly it's bites - he does seem to have enjoyed the idea of getting to leave his own marks on Zechs - but occasionally there are heated, open-mouthed kisses as well.
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It’s all confirmation that this man was going to be savage in his intensity, which felt incredibly dangerous especially because they were strangers. A fact so arousing Zechs felt dizzy, no intoxicating food required.
Off went the jacket, the pauldrons. He felt in the darkness some sort of leather belts cutting across his chest - but it didn’t prevent his access to anything, such as the nipples his thumbs briefly rubbed, so it’d remain for now.
There were more pressing matters - such as, could Zechs undo his belt while Sephiroth had him so willingly pinned against the wall?
He also thought to ask - voice low and throaty as if he hadn’t been holding back from making too much sound - “Any lines you don’t wish to cross?”
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At Zechs' question, Sephiroth pulls back for a moment to gaze at him. He's clearly lost himself in whatever's affecting him; it seems to take him a moment to pull himself together enough to process Zechs' words and respond to them. "I don't know what lines there are," he says, and for a moment there's a touch of uncertainty in his voice. He really is new to this, however assured he seems and however hungry the food and drink here has made him. "But I should be asking you that as well."
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“I have fewer than most,” Zechs told him bluntly. “I’d ask you not to have me require a healer after. Do not cause me to bleed on purpose, especially. Otherwise, my time in places like this have made my tastes broad.”
“And for you … let’s start with fundamentals,” Zechs tilted his chin up. “Do you want to fuck me?”
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His understanding of the scope of the kinds of sex people have, and what kind of people have them...he's beginning to realize just how narrow it is compared to what there is to know.
"I'm not interested in such things, either."
He shakes his head, dispelling that train of thought. If it's done nothing else, the bafflement has cleared his head a bit, at least for the moment. "As to - fucking you - " He only barely hesitates over the word, as if still not accustomed to the language he's using. "I'd like to, yes. But I've no objections to being on the other side as well, if you'd prefer that." Frankly...Sephiroth doesn't care how this goes, as long as he deals with the heat in his gut in some way. And Genesis has already given him some experience in being taken. "You're helping me. And you interest me. I need to...work this off, but I'm not so picky about the means that I can't do that and also accommodate you."
no subject
It’s baser language, perhaps, but what else did they have?
He thought he was protected in the dark, a faint blush unseen. “I may have specifically requested to be hurt in sex before - but despite your strength, that is not what I want from you. Be assured.”
His thumb carefully rubbed across his cheek. Zechs’ eyes had adjusted in the dim light - he could better make out his features. “I would enjoy having you if that was your preference, but the idea of being fucked right against this wall has greater appeal. I wouldn’t have offered to help get you off if I didn’t think your … hunger, shall we say, was appealing.”
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Sephiroth does of course see that blush in the dark, although he at least has the decency not to call it out. "As long as that's what you want, then I suppose there's no problem with someone giving it to you. But..." He hesitates. "I've hurt enough people."
The hand on his cheek is reassuring, although Sephiroth feels slightly awkward needing reassurance from another (former) soldier - especially one as composed as Zechs is. He can't help but feel he's comparing unfavorably to him - in terms of worldliness, of self-assurance, and certainly in terms of experience. It makes him feel a bit childish, and it's not an entirely comfortable feeling. But the intention is kind, and if Zechs thinks less of him for his deficiencies, he's doing an admirable job of not showing it. So Sephiroth does his best to set his pride aside and take the gesture as it was meant, leaning into the touch slightly.
The gentleness is certainly at odds with their conversation, but...there's also reassurance in speaking frankly like this, in laying out what's wanted and expected between them. As soldiers, they know all about following orders and mission parameters, pursuing objectives. A clear outline of what he's meant to do is something easy for Sephiroth to follow, with or without experience. "Taking you against the wall is certainly something I was thinking," he says, and just saying the words sparks the hunger again. His eyes flick up and down Zechs' body before he reaches out to tug lightly on Zechs' shirt. "I'd suggest, before we start again...getting undressed as much as you care to. My control is...impaired, and you may prefer your clothes unripped." He pauses. "Did you want me from the front, or behind?"
no subject
A lesson he learned long ago with Lorenz, nearly ending things as soon as they begun. Fortunate that he was so patient with him.
Zechs did not think less of Sephiroth, especially for all of their emerging similarities.
It especially made him wonder what happened, to turn he and Cloud into enemies.No one was born with this knowledge. For a soldier, learning these skills might happen far later than otherwise. Why else did Zechs assume, at first, that the best thing to say was 'I can take anything you can dish out?'He's wearing far too many layers. Coat, jacket, vest, button up shirt - as a start. Unfortunately it'd be slower to undress him than Sephiroth. But Zechs had to smirk just slightly as the other soldier tugged at his clothes. "I appreciate it. I do not have all that many clothes to spare, just yet. And I think - take me from the front. You have the strength to lift me to a suitable angle, if I'm judging you correctly."
If Sephiroth let him down - he'd start to undress. Methodically.
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At the remark about holding Zechs up...that gets a smirk. A confident one. If there's anything Sephiroth knows and trusts, it's his own abilities. "I assure you," he drawls, "that I could lift you the full extent of my arm over my head with one hand. Though I doubt that will be required. Holding you up won't be an issue."
He can tell Zechs is interested in his strength - perhaps even enticed by it. He's not, in fact, entirely sure that remark of Zechs' wasn't bait, hoping to get a better measure of just what he can do. He's content enough to indulge him...and, more to the point, it's a balm to his pride to have one thing he can have total assurance - even superiority - in, when he's feeling inadequate in other areas. He's capable, if he's nothing else.
Sephiroth steps back to watch Zechs undress, unfastening his own belt as he does so and letting it fall to the ground. His eyebrows start to raise a bit as the layers...simply keep coming. "And I thought my outfit was impractical," he remarks, after what seems like a long enough time to invite comment. He's smiling, however, clearly teasing.
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That confident boast had Zechs' eyes flashing in interest. Sephiroth had pegged him correctly in being interested in his strength - the inherent risk. Zechs wasn't entertaining here because he pitied him, after all. Even with the drugged food in Sephiroth's system, he was attempting to meet him on equal ground.
Zechs chuckled ruefully. "Dressing for warmth in this weather is practical."
But when skin was revealed - it's clear other motives might be at play. From the neck down, as if a line had been drawn, Zechs had an alarming collection of scars. Burns, mostly, and evidence of shrapnel slicing into him. As if he was far too close to something that exploded, and was burned for it. This might catch Sephiroth's attention, first.
Or, perhaps he'd first notice the more willing marks he bore - his nipples, pierced, roses hanging beneath them - or the scar artfully carved into his forearm, under a vicious burn. Roses seemed to be a theme with someone. Perhaps the same individual who had given him a ring?
He still had no idea how much Sephiroth could see as he began to remove his pants, clothes folded military-neat beside him. "You'll likely tell me I should dress for easier access if I'm so willing to proposition strangers."
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